Sukacev



Feb. 7, 1956 l.. suKAcr-:v

SELF-HEATING CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 9, 1952 llllllllllllllllnl I l lllll ...P65015 lllllllllllll al.

Illllri lllllllllll IIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIII. Il!llillllllllllllllllrllr l INVENTOR ATTORNEY `companying drawing in which- United .Safes Patenti O SELF-HEATING CONTAINERS Lev Sukacev, New York, N. Y. Application December 9, 1952,` Serial No. 324,945

` y s Claims. *,(Cl. 12e- 262)` This invention relates to self-heating containers for packaged food or `,other material; including means 4for heating with eXothermically reacting substances.

In the present invention, a container, the contents of Vwhich are generally to be heated for consumption or use, is enclosed `in an outer ycontainer having therein a substance such as burnt or kiln-dried lime or other suitable chemical which reacts with water or other added substance and liberates sufficient heat to bringthe contents to a desired temperature. Y Theinner container is set in the outer container in such relation to the latter and to the exothermically reacting or heat-generating substances that the reactants are readily brought together. Nov special manipulation vis required for heating the inner container other than the `mere removal of the cover of the outer container and bringing together the heat-generating reactants. 'Means are preferably provided for .per-

mitting a guided, outward or telescopic movement of the inner container in the outer container and to 'allow fo expansion during the heating operation. l

The invention. is further described in `detail hereinbelow by way of exemplication, Yand with Yreference to the ac- Fig. 1 is a view of Va verticallsection of a self-heating container embodying preferred features of the invention; -Fig. 2 is a partial view of the top of'the container partly in section;l and Fig. 3 is a view of a vertical section of a fragment showing substantially the relative position of parts in includes an outer container 1, and aninner container 2 in which preserved food, or other lmateriall to be heated, is enclosed. VT he outer container 1 has a top 3, a bottom 4 and side wall 5, and has `completely enclosed therein the inner container 2 and material 6 for generating heat. The heategenerating material is preferably in alayer 7 in the bottom of the outer container. The inner container 2 is held or clamped .in ixed position between the top 3 of the outer container 1 and the layer 17 of heatgenerating material. t i

Both the outer container 1 and the inner container 2 are preferably of the usual food-can construction, cylindrical or prismatic in shape. 'The top and bottom Yof each container are crimp-sealed to the side Wall, as shown at S, 9, 10 and 11. The outer container is large enough to provide a space 12 between side wall thereof and the side wall of the inner container, and to permit its enclosure beneath the top of the outer container with a quantity of heat-generating material suiiicient to react with an added reagent such as water for instance, to liberate heat for raising the temperature of the contents of the container 2 to a desired range within a relatively short period of time. A spacing element 13 is provided in the space 12 between the inner container and the side wall of the outer container. This space, which permits the passage of water into the bottom of the container 1,

l-"aterxted Feb. 7, 1956 ICC is suciently wide'fforthe insertion of an ordinary can 1 this spacing element which will not only permit the pasjsageof water, aid in the uniform distribution thereof,

and maintain the inner container 2 `in spaced relation to the wall 5 of the outer container 1, but which will preferably also direct the outward movmentof the inner container in said spaced relationt upon removal of the top of the outer container and on expansionpof the heatgenerating material. The spacing element shouldV also preferably cooperate to prevent complete removal of the `inner container through the topof the outer container.

Additional features which conveniently serve in the improved` operation of this invention are further indicated. A folded container 15, such as a foldedpaper cup, is provided for measuring thewater or other liquid reactant to be added to the lime or other solid reactant in the bottom of the outer container. A sheet 16 of material such as non-absorbent paper, easily removable,

extends overthe top o f'the `inner container 2 with its edge fastened by means of an adhesive 17 fto the ridge of the crimped seal 8. This serves to shed and` to distribute poured-in water in a substantially uniformV manner into the space 12 around the inner container, and

to prevent accumulation of the water on the top thereof.

An absorbent fibrous sheet 18 extending across the' top of the layer 7 of heat-generating material 6 and downwardly adjacent the wall 5 of the outer container in the `manner of an inverted pan, serves to maintain the parin the bottom of the outer containerl to which a top 3 is later applied. The fibrous sheet 18 is inserted so that 'it completely covers the top of the layer 7 and extends around the sides with its edge positioned preferably slightly above the bottom 4 of the outer container 1. The closed food container 2, with a disc of ordinary or glazed paper 16 extending across the top andadhesively attached tothe ridge of the crimped edge 8, and the corrugated spacing element 13 wrapped around the side wall of container 2 are inserted in the outer container 1 on top of the sheet 18. The width of the strip 13 is preferably no less than one-third the height of the food container `2. When ordinary metal cans are used having a seam in the side wall as shown at 20, the ends of the strip 13 are preferably opposite each other on either side of this seam as shown in Fig. 2. Before applying the top 3, a

, folded paper measuring cup 15 is placed on top ofthe disc 16. The top 3 of the outer container 1 isthen'sealed the contents of the outer container including the particles of lime, the food container 2, and the spacing element 13 as well as the paper cup 15, are snugly held and clamped in place, and do not shift readily, even with vigorous shaking.

To serve heated food from the container 2 and hence to place the invention into operation, the top 3 of the outer container 1 is Aremoved by means of an ordinary can opener which cuts out the top close to the crimp-sealed edge 10, and without penetrating the inner container Y2. Water is measured in the cup 15 and poured ontov the paper disc 16 from which the water ows off into the r53 annular space 12 between the outer and inner containers and thence onto the sheet 18 which is capable of absorbing and distributing the water by capillary action toward fthe eenteraof the-'eeontainerfsacrossitheftppfofrtlae;.layer ,of ,dime assvyelhas downthefsidesfthereof. After-the `reac- Aation between the-.limetandfwatericcmmencesythe reacting smass :expandswhile-ggeneratipg lzheat,i2l1 1.the.t^food.,con

@freuethensideewallgoaheaouterzcontainer. .--As-;the food :can moves.upwardlyetheppnee edge@fathespaengfele- ,-mentgl` engages-z'fthis stop 23 .fwhich; preventsfiurther movementgof the container 2- and complete removal rtherewbf. A1so,;asithe.food-..c,anmoves upwardly, the.down fwardlgfprojecting portion'24;of;the:sheetd8 is rasedffin the space :between .thealayer 7 and the wall: Sgand'- while permitting a-escapetaof -stearni itfgalso fprevents fpassagewof ,particles ofvlime into'they space 12.

. -After the-,elapse offtime.necessary vfor heating the. food .-(;thei.time depends fonrthe kindiotoOdl the.disc.16, is torn awayfand the topnofithe, foodcontainernZLmayz-be v.removed with ithe z usual..canzopener.

V.e112 ist-understood; :that variousi changes may i be` made-:in the details-of. the a beve-descritaed;v apparatus :without-de- ;parting fromgthe scppefoffthe inventionfasdeinedin the @appended claims.

fWhatwis 'claimed is:

i 1,;A- -seli'-heating `container 'comprising-1 a :completely closedffouter.containenhaving a bottom atop andside twall; a closed. food container lbeneath';thetopfof the/.outer a container; material lfori;y generating t heat `between the food container and the bottom of the outer container.,andf a fspacingelement movable ,between the lEfoodl containerpfand :the :side Kwall-.of .the :outerricontainere byf Outward; movei mentwofyssaid 'food container-g-uponremoval 1of. .the -said Y fiannular (ledge-:which engages and moves ,thefspacing ,-e1e' ement upon outward telescopio movementofqthe yfoodfcontainenandin which after fremovalof` acentral portion of lathe?. top, 'ofi the router container the .iunrernoved fouterfporqtionfoftherfsaidftop forms a stop extending from theside wall of the outer container which engages the spacing element and with said' latter element holds' the food container and outer container together coaxially in alignment.

4. A self-heating container as defined in claim 1 in which the spacing element is a solid corrugated strip positioned between theifood, container and the side wall of the outer container, and having its corrugations directed toward the ,.bottoms 01E ',.said outerf container.

5. A self-heating` container as d efined in claim 1 in which the foodecontainerhasar-topscrimp-sealed to its side. fwallvrthepcrimped seat formed,th ereby :extending upwardly from the edge of said top, and in which a removable sheet materi-'alfisftemporarily:attached to the ridge of the said seal and extending across the said top of said food container to shed and distribute the reagent into the space between the food container and the side wall of .I the outer container.

6.Aself.heating container cornpri-sing` anY outer container ofsealedfoodfcan., .construction forretaining, its 'contents-.under .subatmospheric,pressure and having a .-tpp,I aifbottom. and aside.) wa 11.a `separate closed .ffood ,'.containerwithin saidouter container and removable therefrom-.upon .removal of said top, y.material for generating heatA betweenthe food,v -containen and the -bottom of the outer containenanda spacingelementbetween the food containeriand..,the,side Wall .ofplhe .outer containerv and movable by, outwardmovernent. of. saidV food container Yfor, maintainingthe said,.foodcontainerin its` outward movementaimspaced reltionshipwith said side vwall of said outer.containenrandsaid,;spacing, element providing 'i passages .for fadmittinga reagentvv to. the. heat-generating .material toreact .therewithfor vliberation of heat.

.7..;A iself.-heating;,containerl asdet`1nedv in .claim 6in Iwhichthespacingelement is` a corrugated sheet material positioned. betweemthe fooclcontainer- ,and the side `wall of the outer container, ,andhaving itsA corrugations directed .tcwvardtheibottomf Said. 9111er, container.

8--A .self1heating.container, comprising a ycompletely closed outer container, ac1osdfoodcontainer within the ...011ter.` c.ontaiuer ,material fforf, generating heatv in a ,1ayer;\ pols itioned within lthe `outerVY container [for transj. f erllillgheattothefoodcontainer; and a` spacing element movable with the'food container ,whilei maintaining the .latter container ,inv rspaced, relatioiishipy within the vouter container whenjithefood container .is .moved throughran opening upon providingsame inthe outer container, and

,saidspacingelement'providing passages'for directing a reagentrtothe heat-generatingmaterialvin the saidk layer `to react therewith' for liberation of heat.

L'References Cited inthe le of this patent .UNHEDiSTATEs PATENTS 

